SEQUESTERED Podcast – Season 3 BONUS: The Shenandoah Park Murders

Released: December 1, 2025
Hosts: Sarah Reid & Andrea Clyde
Topic: Reflecting on the 1996 murders of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans in Shenandoah National Park, the evolving investigation, and listener questions following new DNA revelations.

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, Sarah and Andrea revisit the resonant case of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans, whose tragic murders in 1996 haunted their families and the camping community for decades. With a recent DNA match pointing to Walter Leo Jackson Sr., the hosts address lingering questions, connections to other unsolved crimes, and what the story reveals about safety, justice, and moving through the world as women.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why This Story Resonates

• Personal Connection:
  • Both hosts are avid campers and hikers, often experiencing the tension between finding peace in nature and staying vigilant as women.

    “As women, we've also had to learn how to hold two things at once. The feeling of both being safe and still having to be very aware of our surroundings.” — Sarah (00:53)

• Universal Themes:
  • The case is about more than the crime itself—it’s about trust, vulnerability, and the longing for peace in wild spaces.

    “It's about what it means to move through the world, especially as women, and trust that the places that are meant to bring us peace will let you come home.” — Andrea (02:03)

Listener Questions & Unanswered Mysteries

Safety in Nature & The Investigation

• Central Questions:
  • What does it mean to feel safe in nature? What are the implications when safety is shattered?

    “What happens when that safety is broken?” — Andrea (02:26)

• Ongoing Impact:
  • Listener responses highlight how deeply this story lingers, with people reflecting on their own camping experiences and fears.

The DNA Breakthrough & Walter Leo Jackson Sr.

• Official Closure:
  • A DNA match finally identified Jackson, but many questions remain about what really happened.

    “The official story ends with a name, Walter Leo Jackson Sr. And a DNA match that finally gave this case a voice. But for the people who followed it, the story doesn't stop there.” — Sarah (03:06)

• Limitations of Science:
  • Even with forensic evidence, much remains unknown about motives and circumstances.

    “Even when the science speaks, there's a lot that the story can't tell us.” — Andrea (03:19)

The Attack on Yvonne Malbasha

• Listener Curiosity:
  • Many asked about Yvonne Malbasha, attacked on Skyline Drive a year later, and how her story influenced the investigation.

    “Yvonne was out there doing something totally ordinary, training, riding her bike. And suddenly this man in a truck starts trying to run her off the road, right?” — Andrea (04:01)

• Patterns of Threat:
  • Repeated crimes against women in remote settings—a pattern with disturbing implications.

    “Independence mistaken as opportunity, freedom that becomes threat.” — Sarah (04:33)

• Unreported Incidents:
  • Reflecting on how many similar threats or near-misses go unreported and unnoticed until tragedy strikes.

Crime Scene Questions

• Killer’s Access:

  • Listeners wonder if the killer camped in the park or simply entered for the day.

    “That’s one of those things investigators never confirmed. But looking at the geography, it's possible he entered from Skyline Drive.” — Sarah (05:31)

  • Explanation: The campsite was close to Skyland Resort but hidden; the attacker could have parked nearby and remained undetected.

• Delayed Discovery:

  • Shenandoah Park’s vastness delayed rescue, costing precious evidence and clarity.

    “Their tent was hidden from sight. From the trail, you could walk right past it and never even know it was there.” — Sarah (06:08)

• Was it a Hate Crime?

  • No direct evidence but indicators suggest the attack was not random, given the brutality and method.

    “There's no direct proof it was a hate crime, but the brutality, like the bindings and the precision, it suggests it wasn't random.” — Sarah (06:31)

Scope of Jackson’s Crimes

• His Record:

  • Jackson’s criminal history spanned states and decades, but gaps in DNA technology and interconnectedness meant he evaded justice.

    “At the time, DNA testing was limited, databases weren't connected, and so he just kept slipping through the cracks.” — Sarah (07:46)

• Technology’s Role:

  • Initiatives like the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative gave the evidence a “second chance to speak.”

    “That's why programs like the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative were so important in this case, they gave forgotten evidence a second chance to speak. And that's literally how this case broke open.” — Sarah (08:07)

• Unanswered: Jackson’s Confession & Scope:

  • Jackson never confessed publicly. There may be more victims left unconnected.

    “His pattern spans decades and geography. It's very possible we still don't know the full scope of what he did.” — Sarah (08:29)

Connections to Other Cases

Colonial Parkway Murders

• Similarities & Local Lore:
  • Listeners drew parallels to the Colonial Parkway killings (1986–1989), where couples were killed in remote Virginia sites.

    “Four young couples were found dead... They were discovered in or near their cars, often parked in remote overlooks.” — Sarah (09:18)

• Possible Links:
  • Though not proven, the similarities are eerie—remote locations, couples, signs of targeting queer women.

    “Their attacks were marked by control and precision.” — Andrea (10:26)

• Ongoing Investigations:
  • Unlike Shenandoah, Colonial Parkway cases remain unsolved, with current technology still holding promise for a breakthrough.

Enduring Fear in Supposed Sanctuaries

• Wilderness as Double-Edged:
  • Both parks represent peace yet are marked by violence, fundamentally changing their meaning for visitors.

    “The Colonial Parkway and Shenandoah... are only hours apart. Both places meant to inspire peace and freedom. Both forever marked by fear.” — Andrea (10:50)

On Safety, Grief, and Reclaiming Freedom

• Loss of Innocence:
  • Julie and Lollie’s carefulness highlights the truth that experience doesn’t guarantee safety.

    “They planned carefully, packed responsibly, and were confident on the trail. They came to the mountains seeking stillness and they deserved safety.” — Sarah (11:02)

• Broader Message:
  • The case sparks conversation about who is allowed to feel safe in the world, especially women, queer people, and marginalized groups.

    “For a lot of people, especially women, queer people, anyone who's ever had to move through the world on alert, safety isn't guaranteed.” — Sarah (11:25)

• The Search for Return:
  • The enduring question is how, or if, anyone can ever feel safe again.

    “What does it take to feel safe again once you've seen how fragile it really is?” — Sarah (11:52)

• Legacy of Julie and Lollie:
  • Their legacy is not just about loss, but about the courage to reclaim joy and freedom in wild places.

    “They remind us why it's worth reclaiming that sense of freedom, even when the world tells us to be afraid.” — Andrea (12:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Crimes like these aren't just acts of violence. They're violations of space, of safety. And the idea that you can exist in the world freely.” — Sarah (04:33)
• “One small twist of fate and this entire timeline might look different.” — Andrea (05:17)
• “The silence made it nearly impossible to track him for decades.” — Sarah (05:55)
• “It's unreal to think about how many crimes from that era could have been solved now if the evidence had been saved or tested.” — Andrea (07:59)
• “Some families get answers and others are still waiting for that same break.” — Andrea (10:40)

Special Segment: The Music of Season 3 (12:17)

• Andrew Golden’s “Shenandoah” (12:17)
  • The season’s music, performed by Nashville musician Andrew Golden, encapsulates the emotional landscape of the series and the Park.
  • Sarah shares her personal connection to Andrew and his ties to Shenandoah’s landscape.

Resources & Further Information

• More case details, photos, and investigative material: sequesteredpod.com
• For fans of the series: encouragement to rate and review the podcast, and check out Andrew Golden’s music.

Closing Reflection

This bonus episode offers not only answers to lingering questions but also a meditation on what it means to seek safety, justice, and peace in a world where such things are far from automatic. The voices of Julie and Lollie, and the echoes of those still seeking closure, invite listeners to honor vulnerability, demand accountability, and reclaim freedom in the wild.